Radio faces "longer term erosion" as a "platform used for news" - Ofcom report

Ofcom has published its News Consumption in the UK 2022 report and the main headline is TikTok being crowned the fastest growing news source (alarming on the face of it although "news" doesn't necessarily mean current affairs, particularly to the younger generation).

But let's focus on the medium we care about most...

Radio as a "platform used for news"

Younger age groups continue to be more likely to use the internet and social media for news, whereas their older counterparts favour print, radio and TV. 

There is some evidence of longer term erosion of radio reach (40% in 2022 down from 44% in 2018).

The question is: does this mean as a source, where decline to be expected given today's instant access to information online, or as somewhere to go for informed commentary and different angles on a particular story - one of radio's unique strengths?

• At a channel level, longer term, reach of Capital and Heart for news appears to be decreasing, as does (Local BBC Radio) in England. 

• BBC listeners generally rate BBC highly across attitudes particularly high quality (78%), trust (75%) and accuracy (74%).

While it's no surprise that fewer listeners are seeking out news from two music-intensive national brands, it's important to note that Local BBC Radio in England has also halved its usage for news in four years - yet the network's audience has increased since.

This is no reflection on the exemplary regional journalism - rather, it reaffirms there being other reasons to tune in. Past research has shown entertaining company for older listeners to be the main one.

That's not to say news doesn't matter - far from it.

Research published in June 2022 by the Charitable Journalism Project suggests social media is the default source of information in many towns, meaning there’s "demand for a trusted source of local news that’s both professional and authentically local".

While you could argue the BBC is more regional than hyperlocal (with projects such as Petersfield's Shine Radio and Alfred filling in gaps), it is well-resourced and can provide high quality, impartial, trusted coverage of significant stories as well as hold those in power to account.

Fundamentally, news is an important but small part of what Local BBC Radio means to its listeners and this report reinforces that.

No, the BBC does not have a monopoly on local radio

I often take issue with claims made by right wing shock jocks but, given I'm not a political commentator, they don't warrant a blogpost.

This does though:

Someone ought to tell the bloke who thought you could grow concrete that local commercial radio has existed, alongside the BBC, for 49 years. pic.twitter.com/01UD0F30RC

— Harrison RB 🇺🇦 (@HarrisonRBRadio) July 14, 2022

(The BBC) completely strangulates commercial radio in particular. (It) has got sixty four local radio stations. You cannot start a local radio station in any part of Britain because the BBC has got a monopoly and I think that's wrong.

While the BBC's large guaranteed content budgets, ability to cross-promote and not having ads is obviously a one up on commercial radio, its national footprint helped lay the foundations for today's industry - and if you think Radio 1 and Radio 2 are easily replicable in the private sector, you are misguided (just take a look at the strict conditions of their service licences: R1 / R2).

The idea that the free market is "strangulated" by the BBC - which has always existed alongside it (for 49 years) - is puzzling given there are now more commercial stations than ever before.

What held commercial radio back previously was regulation, largely around localness and public service commitments, that stemmed from its birth in the early 70s when each of the very few ILR stations faced little to no competition pre DAB and the internet.

Only a small number of local licences had been awarded before the three 90s INR (Independent National Radio) stations - Classic FM + Virgin 1215 and Talk Radio UK on medium wave.

It's the growth of new platforms - both online and DAB suddenly offering more choice for listeners - coupled with new digital media - providing immediate access to information and eating into the ad market - that has put pressure on local stations.

For many of these, consolidation was/is essential in order to properly compete for national revenues and secure their futures.

What doesn't stack up at all is the idea that the BBC has a monopoly on local radio when the total ILR (Independent Local Radio) reach has long been more than double that of Local BBC Radio - which, by the way, doesn't take advertising - so to suggest it’s the main barrier to entry is rather odd.

If you've ever listened to both, you'll know they're very different propositions from each other, with different audiences, and in many areas the BBC offering is more regional than its commercial counterpart.

Another observation is the growing number of community stations serving individual towns or smaller areas that listeners would actually call home.

While most are not-for-profit, some operate as charities and/or get access to funding that a private business wouldn't and some are of greater value than others, they are still local radio stations that co-exist with the BBC.

How's that monopoly going?